Hermione's Time Sickness
by N. Forest
Summary: Hermione's time turner seems to be malfunctioning. Snape and Pomfrey have got to help her before she starts traveling through time. Third year, slightly alternate universe.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, unlike JKR who seems to own it all.

Hermione's Time Sickness- Chapter One

Hermione pulled her necklace out of the front of her robes and gave it a quick turn. As usual the unpleasant sensation of travelling back in time struck her. Her knees buckled and she fell to the floor as the world around her slowly stopped spinning and re-stabilized.

_Rats! Now I'm late for Potions! _Hermione picked her bag off of the floor where it had fallen and hurried toward the dungeons. Unfortunately, the Arithmancy tower was nowhere near the dungeons and she was now very late.

Hermione approached the closed classroom door, but she didn't dare open it and barge in. Professor Snape hated Gryffindor latecomers at the best of times and not even his favourite Slytherins ever dared to show up more than a few seconds after the bell. Let alone ten minutes!

She knocked timidly on the imposing door. _Hopefully he won't be too mad. I'm so tired since I was up half the night finishing my Potions essay! I need to do the rest of my homework soon. I don't have time to get in trouble._

But Hermione knew her luck had run out when a very scared looking Harry Potter opened the door. His face brightened for a moment when he saw her, but Snape's next words made all of his happiness disappear.

"Miss Granger, is there a reason you have interrupted my class? You have already made it quiet clear that you despise my subject." Professor Snape said as he swooped down on her.

_Now I understand why them call him the 'Great bat of the dungeons'._ Hermione thought as she stepped away from the angry Professor. Then she took in what he had said and the blood drained from her face. _How dare he suggest that the Gryffindor know-it-all doesn't love all her classes!_

"I-I'm sorry sir." Hermione stuttered. She didn't offer any excuses, that would only have made things worse.

Snape turned sharply. His robes snapped around his ankles as he strode back to the front of the class. "A week of detention should teach you properly value others time." There was a slight emphasis on the word 'time'.

Hermione shivered unconsciously. She'd been told by Professor McGonagall at the beginning of the year that some of the staff (meaning Professor Snape) had opposed her using a time-turner and were just waiting for evidence that she couldn't handle the device. She liked her classes and there was no way she was going to give her Professor the satisfaction of taking the time-turner away.

"Yes sir." _Just what I need! A week of detention. I barely have time to eat, sleep, and do my homework as it is. Now I have to fit everything around detention! _Hermione hurried inside the classroom and took the only remaining seat at the very front of the class.

"Now that everyone has arrived we can proceed with today's topic." Snape flicked his wand at the board and the instructions appeared on it.

"Place your essay on top of your desk." Snape began to walk between the rows of desks. "Today we will be making a stimulant draft. Directions are on the board, ingredients are in the cupboard. Begin!"

Hermione had no partner. The stimulant was a two person potion and in the uneven class everyone already had a partner. Stimulant draft was easily the most complicated and confusing potion they'd made in the entire year and for once she really could have used a second set of hands.

By the end of the class Hermione was frazzled and Snape seemed ready to kill the next person who made a mistake. Hermione's potion was an absolute mess. She hadn't had enough time and ended up skipping half the steps. The sample refused to be bottled and disintegrated the glass on contact.

"Pity. Pity." Professor Snape smirked at the mess in her cauldron. "You can't be bothered to show up on time and when you do show up to class you can't be bothered to use any effort." he picked her essay up and deposited all the essays on his desk before standing in front of the class to dismiss them.

"Well done. To those that can brew." Professor Snape exchanged smirks with Malfoy. "Others should strive not to dissolve their desk next class." He glared at Neville and Lavender who no longer had a desk in front of them, it lay in smoking remains on the floor.

The bell rang and the sound of of benches being pushed back was deafening. Hermione grabbed her bag and hurried to the door. _At least it's dinner now. I don't have to use the time-turner again until tomorrow, If detention doesn't take to long I'll get a head start on the Arithmancy project. _But Hermione wasn't that fortunate.

"Miss Granger stay behind to arrange your detentions." Professor Snape's voice rang throughout the classroom.

Hermione sighed. She was almost to the door and the last thing she wanted to do was push back through all the other students and face the angry teacher.

"Yes sir?" Hermione stood in front of Professor Snape's desk. The classroom was empty now and everything was silent and still. It made the room seem larger and much spookier than it actually was.

"You will be preparing ingredients tonight." Snape was glaring down at her "Wear something that can get . . . ruined. Be here at seven o'clock." With a final glare he left the classroom and once Hermione was out he locked and sealed it.

The rest of the day flew by and before Hermione knew anything it was quarter to seven.

Ron shook her should her gently "You better go." He pointed to the clock. "You don;t want Snape to go crazy. I'll finish up here." He took the books she was using and stacked them up.

Hermione thanked him and hurried up to the girls dormitories where she slipped into the third years rooms. Lavender and Parvati were giggling over a muggle magazine Lavender's mother had sent her. Parvati had never seen anything like the muggle models it featured.

The only clothes Hermione had that she didn't mind ruining was an old sweat suit. It used to be her favourite thing to wear around the dormitory and common room. Comfortable, warm, soft. Just the thing for winter in a Scottish castle. But now it barely fit and she was going to get a new one for Christmas.

The suit was bright orange with grey edging and it hung above both her wrists and ankles. She pulled her robes on over then headed down to the dungeons.

_At least I'm on time now._ Hermione stood in front of the door and knocked just as the clock began to chime.

The door swung open. "Enter." Called Professor Snape.

Hermione trudged slowly into the classroom and stopped in front of the teacher's desk. It looked the same as it had earlier, except now a bucket of rats sat on her desk along with a few organ bowls.

Professor Snape put down the essay he was marking and set his quill beside it before he looked up. He gave her a killer glare and motioned to the bucket of rats. "Remove the organs used in potions from these rats. You should know which organs to remove. There will be no need to wear gloves."

Hermione sat down and picked up the knife and a rat. _I don't there's many organs to use in here. _Soon she feel into a quick rhythm of cutting up the bodies.

Brain. Heart. Bowel. Tail. Brain. Heart. Bowel. Tail. It was mind numbingly boring, which was obviously the point. Time inched by and Hermione could have sworn the hands on the clock actually stoped moving. Finally when the bucket was done she was simply handed another one.

After the fifth bucket was empty, Hermione felt as if she was going to fall over from exhaustion and the waste of time when she had so much to be doing.

Professor Snape glared down at her. "You may leave. Come again tomorrow at seven o'clock." He focused on his marking again.

Hermione glanced at the clock as she fled the classroom. _Eleven! So much for getting any of my homework done!_

The rest of the weeks was very nerve racking. Hermione often was still working on her work as it was being collected. She just didn't have the time. She kept falling asleep in the common room. The prefects usually brought her up when they came in from their rounds.

Finally Friday came. _Yes! Last day of detention! _Hermione was very happy at breakfast until she remembered the other detail about Fridays. _It's three time-turns today. On no!_ Using the time-turner was getting harder and harder. It knocked her off her feet and left her feeling queasy for the rest of the day.

In the hall way outside Transfiguration Hermione checked quickly to make sure no one was looking. Then she pulled out her necklace and gave the time-turner a flip.

Her vision distorted and the world began to look fuzzy. Hermione fell to her knees, dropping her bag and cracking her head against the wall. She fell forward into the floor and just before she passed out the floor rushed up to meet her.

*************

_This one shot came to me a few months ago and I finally finished it. It is currently unbetaed and will probably remain that way._

_I did write this after reading the first half of The Time Traveler's Wife, but I never got around to finishing the books. Hoped you enjoyed the story!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, unlike JKR who seems to own it all.

Hermione's Time Sickness- Chapter Two

"Miss Granger? Are you all right?" Hermione blinked her eyes open to see Professor McGonagall leaning over her. She groaned. Her throat didn't seem that capable of making noises just yet.

"Is she okay Professor?" Hermione recognized Harry's voice. It did sound rather strange in thick. As if her ears were full of water.

"Excuse me. Let me through please." Someone was making their way towards the heart of the cluster of people in the middle of the hallway.

Professor McGonagall stood back up straight and she disappeared from Hermione's view. That's when it occurred to Hermione that she could sit up. There was no reason to lie in the middle of the corridor. But she found that her body couldn't move. Even her jaw was stuck shut.

"I put her into a full body bind. In case there was a head injury. It sounded bad." Professor McGonagall told the person Hermione still hadn't identified.

"Thank you Minerva." Madame Pomfrey stepped into Hermione's field of vision. She conjured a stretcher and gently levitated Hermione onto it before herding it up the stairs and into the hospital wing.

Hermione felt the surface change beneath her again. She couldn't see but guessed that she was being moved onto a hospital bed.

"I can't remove the body bind yet." The mediwitch told her. She cast a few diagnostic charms and ran her wand up and down the girl's body. "I'm afraid you've got a concussion. I'll be right back." She hurried into an office and Hermione heard the rush of a floo being used.

When Hermione woke up she could move again. The body bind had been removed but a stiff brace surrounded her head and kept her neck stiff. The windows were covered and Hermione could see a sliver of the crescent moon through the curtains.

She blinked a few times then sat up. And immediately wished she hadn't. A rush of nausea hit her and Hermione threw up all over her bed and got it all down the front of her hospital pyjamas. Then she vomited again and again until every bit of the area around her was covered in vomit.

But it wasn't Madame Pomfrey who came into help her. It was Professor Snape.

"Who'd wake me up at this ungodly hour?" He muttered to himself.

Hermione heard his voice and groaned. The last person she wanted to see her after she'd vomited all of the place and was a dirty, sweaty mess was Professor Snape. He'd just make fun of her, not help her.

So she was surprised when the cleaning charms hit her bed, floor and pyjamas. Another freshening charm was cast around to get rid of the smell and Hermione took a big gulp and found that it got rid of the taste in her mouth too.

"Are you feeling better now Miss Granger?"

Hermione almost passed out from the surprise. Snape's voice was nothing like it usually was. It was soft, low, and silky. Not the growl he used in class.

"Yes sir." Hermione whispered. "Could I have some water? Please?"

Snape conjured a glass and filled it with water before handing it to her. "Anything else?" He asked.

Hermione shook her head. It was difficult to move with the brace on it. But she still managed to slowly sip the water.

"Madame Pomfrey was called away to deal with an emergency at St. Mungo's. She should be back in the morning." Professor Snape picked up a potion vial. "I need you to take a few potions."

Hermione took a fever reducer, concussion potion and a headache draft before drifting back to sleep. Unknown to her the Potions professor remained at her side throughout the night, just in case she woke up again.

"Good morning Miss Granger." Hermione woke up to the tired voice of Madame Pomfrey. "How do you feel?

Hermione smiled. "My head doesn't hurt any more." She looked more closely at the mediwitch. "Were you up all night?"

"Yes." Pomfrey admitted. "But I'll be able to rest later today." She pulled her wand out and murmured a charm as she ran her wand up and down the length of Hermione's body. "The concussion potion worked."

"Can I take the brace off than?" Hermione rubbed around the hard material. It was tight and she was sweating underneath the bands.

"One moment." Madame Pomfrey ran her wand over Hermione's body again. "I'm not sure. . ." Her voice trailed off.

"Is something wrong?" A note of worry had crept into Hermione's voice.

"I'm sure it's nothing." The mediwitch touched her wand to the brace and lifted it off oh Hermione's head.

"Ah." Hermione sighed in relief. "This feels much better." She ran her hands through her hair and over her head.

Madame Pomfrey was still looking closely at her and her wand was still in her hand.

Hermione looked back at her. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm not sure." She shook her head. "Just wait a moment. I'll be right back." She hurried into her office. And a few moments later Hermione heard the rush of a floo and hushed voices speaking quickly and quietly.

Madame Pomfrey walked back into the ward room, but this time Professor Snape was following her. Both of them stopped at Hermione's bed and drew their wands.

"I just need to cast a few diagnostic spells." The mediwitch said, hoping to reassure the girl.

Hermione lay still as the wands ran up and down her. Both of the adults murmured strange words. She didn't recognize any of them. _I still am sort of nauseous and sore. Almost like it feels I'm being pulled in every direction. It's giving me a headache._

"Miss Granger." Professor Snape's voice snapped her back to the present.

"Yes sir." She pushed herself up on her arms so she could look at him.

"Have you been taking any drugs or drinking recently?" He asked her, deadly serious.

Hermione shook her head quickly. "No sir! I'd never do anything like that."

Snape and Pomfrey exchanged grave looks before turning back to her bed. "Miss Granger we're going to visit the wizarding hospital. St. Mungo's. Their specialists and equipment might have more luck."

Hermione was starting to get worried. "You mean there's something wrong with me and you don't know what it is?"

Snape nodded. "It isn't a spell or a curse. Nor a jinx or a hex. And if it is, it must be a newer one. I've got no idea. . ."

Madame Pomfrey hurried into her office and returned shortly with a vial of deep purple potion and a goblet. She poured a measure of the potion into the goblet and handed it to Hermione. "This is Dreamless Sleep Potion. It will allow you to sleep through everything."

Hermione was tired. But at the same time she didn't want to go to sleep. _I want to learn about Wizarding Hospitals. I wonder what kind of equipment they use? _The idea intrigued her. But she swallowed the potion. It was sweet, like honey and she felt it begin to work instantly as her eyes drifted closed.

*************

_This one shot came to me a few months ago and I finally finished it. It is currently unbetaed and will probably remain that way._

_I did write this after reading the first half of The Time Traveler's Wife, but I never got around to finishing the books. Hoped you enjoyed the story!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, unlike JKR who seems to own it all.

Hermione's Time Sickness- Chapter Three

When Hermione woke up she wasn't sure how much time had passed. She was still in the hospital wing and it was dark outside. Just like the last time she woke up. At least this time she didn't feel like emptying her stomach and going back to sleep.

She was wide awake. The moon provided a little light and a few candles gave just enough brightness for her to make out the other beds and the doors on either side of the room. It struck the potions in the Potion cabinet and made them shimmer and shine.

"Pretty." Hermione climbed out of bed and approached the bottles. Walking made her feel a little strange, but she handled it and held onto the beds to stop herself from swinging back and forth.

"Don't touch, Miss Granger." Someone's hand came down on her shoulder.

Hermione gave a yelp of surprise and jumped around to face Professor Snape. "I didn't hear you sir. I'm sorry if I woke you up."

"It's fine. Please return to bed." He motioned at the only bed with disturbed covers. "It is 3 o'clock in the morning."

Hermione instinctively checked her wrist, only to find that her watch was not there. She turned back to her Professor. "Sir? What happened at the Hospital? Did they know how to help me?"

Snape sighed and took a seat on the bed next to her. "Miss Granger, did you know why Time Turners are Ministry regulated?"

"Yes sir. It's so that people don't change time every time they do something they would rather have not done. Or start bring people back from the bed." Hermione could go on and on. She done research the year before, then she'd asked McGonagall about borrowing one.

"There is another reason." Professor Snape glared at her and then changed to looking out the window. "Time is a dangerous thing. It hold the universe together and us within the universe in our proper places. We are nowhere near fully comprehending time. Time travel can damage a person."

"Is that what happened to me?" Hermione was mystified. _I've never heard or read about anything like this!_

"We believe so." Snape stood up now and drew his robes around him.

"Is it bad sir?" Hermione asked. _Anything that displaces me in the universe cannot be a good thing._

"It isn't particularity good. Time displacement can mean a great many things. Luckily it appears that you will be fine. As long as you live in the now." Snape explained.

Hermione was confused. "What do you mean sir? Live in the now?"

Snape took a list out of one of the deep pockets in his robe. "Here Miss Granger. These are all the recorded items that have affected time displaced people. I believe the Restricted section also has several books on the subject."

Hermione nodded and accepted the list. Most of the things would be easy to stay away from, others nearly impossible. _Pensives, time turners, time curses and hexes are all easy enough to deal with, they aren't very common. But plastic and wool and leather? _"Sir, this isn't really going to be possible to follow when I return home. Plastic is in almost everything muggles use."

Snape looked at her seriously. "Miss Granger, if you do not follow this you could end up travelling randomly through time with no way to return. I suggest you find a way to follow this list to the letter. After all, students that aren't here cannot attend classes."

Hermione set the list aside. "Thank you for giving this to me Professor." She yawned. "Is it really 3 o'clock in the morning?"

"It's after three o'clock now." Snape said, a strange look appearing on his face. "Madame Pomfrey will most likely be letting you return to classes shortly."

"Okay." Hermione slipped under her blankets and pulled them up to her chin. "Night Professor Snape." She whispered, closing her eyes and preparing to fall asleep. There was no one else in the Hospital Wing and soon the sound of her own breathing soothed her to sleep.

Bright sunlight woke Hermione a few hours later as it streamed in through the windows of the Hospital Wing. She yawned and stretched in the warmth of the sunbeams and relishing in the quiet of the Hospital Wing. It was nice to have space in the mornings and not worry about getting in the way of Lavender's light so that she'd mess up her make-up or tripping over one of the piles of clothing Parvati set out as she decided what she wanted to wear.

"Good Morning Miss Granger!" Madame Pomfrey greeted Hermione happily as she walked into the ward. "How are you feeling? Are you ready for some breakfast?"

Hermione nodded. "Breakfast sounds wonderful, thank you. And I'm feeling fine. When can I leave?" She asked, just slightly too enthusiastic.

Madame Pomfrey just laughed and headed to the floo to ask for Hermione's breakfast. The food was delicious, for the first time in ages Hermione wasn't feeling nauseous and she was able to fully enjoy the food. Even though the meal was simple toast and tea it was the best tasting food she'd had in ages. "Thanks."

Just as Hermione was finishing up her food the bell rang and shortly after that Harry and Ron burst into the Hospital Wing. Ron was carrying a large stack of books and Harry had a sheaf of papers in his hand. They took seats on either side of her and dumped their loads onto her bed.

"Brought you your homework." Harry told her. "I guessed that you might be getting bored in here."

Ron nodded his agreement. "You don't look sick. Why can't you leave?"

"Mr. Weasley, you again prove yourself more of a dunderhead than I expected." Drawled a voice from behind the three.

Hermione looked around and glared at Professor Snape along with the two other members of the Golden Trio. He was holding a steaming goblet and sneering angrily down at the two boys. "If Miss Granger were too leave the Hospital Wing she could easily become displaced in time."

Ron's jaw dropped and he looked apologetically at Hermione. "Gee Hermione, I'm sorry. My uncle-"

Harry was not interested in another story featuring Ron's uncles. "Can she come back soon sir? We all miss her."

Snape glared at Harry even more angrily than he'd glared at Ron. "Get out, I'm trying to help her."

Harry and Ron left as quickly as they'd come, leaving the books and papers behind on Hermione's bed. She made them into neat, little piles on her night stand and turned back to her Potions Professor. "Sorry Professor Snape. IS there something I can do to help you?"

"Get dressed and meet me in the Entrance hall." Snape told her before heading out of the Hospital Wing, obviously planning on beating her there.

It didn't take Hermione long to pull on robes and twist her hair into a messy braid. She shoved her feet into trainers and headed through the halls. Luckily since the break was over almost all students were in class and she didn't have to deal with prying eyes.

Snape was standing in the entrance hall, he was still holding the goblet and there was a much smaller item clenched in his fist that Hermione couldn't see yet.

"Miss Granger, there are currently two ways that displaced people can be grounded. The first is quite simple: physical activity. Anything that ties your body to this time and place will hold you here. Running, skipping rope, swimming have all worked."

Hermione nodded. She wasn't a fan of physical activity, but if it kept her from getting sick again she'd do it. "And the second one?"

"Potions." Snape held the potion out. It was a yellow colour and it stunk of wet dog fur. Hermione did not want to think about what the ingredients might have been or what it might have tasted like. She drunk it quickly and shook her head, trying to get the taste out of her mouth.

"Now take this."

Hermione expected the pen and looked it over. "This is a pen. Oh! Plastic." She said, thinking out loud. "I don't feel any different."

But as soon as she'd claimed to feel no change, it felt as if the bottom of her stomach was dropping and Hermione collapsed to the floor, dropping the pen. And as soon as the plastic wasn't touching her, the feeling disappeared and she sat up, gasping for breath.

"Hmm." Snape nodded. "The potions can be ineffective for those under the age of twenty-one. Of course the formula can be adjusted."

Hermione got to her feet. "Now what do I do? If potions don't work."

"Come with me." Snape opened the door that lead to the grounds outside Hogwarts and held the pen out to her. "You are going to take the pen and run around the school twice. If you need to stop and vomit make sure to drop the pen."

Hermione looked oddly at her Potions Professor. "All right sir." She took the pen and tried to ignore the unpleasant sensations that the plastic caused. But as soon as she started running the feeling disappeared. It was liberating, to look at the pen and laugh as it did nothing to her.

The morning breeze blew through Hermione's hair, it felt nice and cool, unlike her sweating limbs. She let her feet carry her onwards, knowing that she'd always be able to find a way to live. Between Professor Snape's intelligence and her own brilliance, there was a good chance of a cure.

*************

_This one shot came to me a few months ago and I finally finished it. It is currently unbetaed and will probably remain that way._

_I did write this after reading the first half of The Time Traveler's Wife, but I never got around to finishing the books. Hoped you enjoyed the story!_


End file.
